The 26-year-old has started the last three games at full-back after missing 14 months with a groin injury.

The former England man is already showing signs of the form that made him such hot property during previous spells at Newcastle and Sale.

Now Cockerill wants Tait to show more self-belief as he is set to continue his comeback against Bath tomorrow.

"Mat has been good and has started to find his feet and his confidence," said Cockerill.

"He just needs to believe he is as good as he is. Sometimes, he underestimates his own ability.

"He is not cocky, he is a reserved guy and a genuinely nice bloke.

"Sometimes, he finds it hard to push his talents because he is not that sort of person. There are others I could mention who wouldn't have that problem!"

Having spent most of his career on the wing or in the centres, Tait has re-emerged as a full-back at Leicester.

With Geordan Murphy in the final year of his contract and undecided about his future, Tigers seem to be lining up Tait as a possible replacement if their long-serving skipper decides to hang up his boots next summer.

"He will make mistakes there, but he will grow into that position," said Cockerill.

"He has still played only three games in the last 18 months.

"He has played full-back in a Test match before but that was very much a case of being given the shirt and told to play there. He didn't really know what he was doing.

"With people like Murphy, Scott Hamilton and Niall Morris around, we have some experience that he can draw on.

"Mat is learning all of the time and we know he also has the attributes to play wing, outside-centre and inside-centre, too.